Akilah RodgersSchool: Rancho AlamitosSport: BasketballPosition: ForwardClass: Junior...

Akilah Rodgers

School: Rancho Alamitos

Sport: Basketball

Position: Forward

Class: Junior

Was it the shoes? Rodgers showed up for Rancho Alamitos’ Division III-A playoff game Saturday at Monrovia without crucial pieces of equipment--her size-10 shoes. Fortunately for Rodgers, teammate Michelle Frank’s father, Todd, was in the stands and loaned Rodgers his size-11 high tops. The borrowed shoes served their purpose for a half, keeping Rodgers available until a Vaquero assistant coach returned from the trip to Garden Grove to retrieve the shoes. But Rancho Alamitos trailed Monrovia by a point entering the fourth quarter. Then Rodgers kicked in. She scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the quarter, helping Rancho Alamitos outscore Monrovia, 32-9, on the way to an 80-58 victory. Rodgers, who leads the Vaqueros in scoring and rebounding despite not being a starter in Coach Bob Becker’s unique rotation, added 16 rebounds. “She definitely would be a starter on every other team in Orange County,” Becker said. “I don’t want people to look down on her because she comes off the bench.”

Other top performers:

Jodi Caruso, who scored 17 points as El Dorado defeated South Torrance, 53-37, in the Division III-AA playoffs.

Michaela Ross, who helped Newport Harbor to a 67-44 Division III-AA playoff victory over La Puente Bassett by scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Susan Scott, who scored 18 points, including four in overtime, in Capistrano Valley’s 53-49 victory over Oxnard Channel Islands in the Division I-AA playoffs.

Tina Thompson, whose shutouts in Canyon’s Division II soccer playoff victories over Long Beach Wilson and Kennedy gave her 21 for the season. Thompson also made the game-clinching penalty kick in the shootout victory over Kennedy.